Eraser with suction disposal



Oct. 18, 1960 E. s. TETE-RS 'ET AL 2,956,546 ERASER WITH suc'rzouDISPOSAL Filed June 20, 1958 ENTORS.

INV EMILY S. TETERS WARREN A. AIKINS BY WILLIAM E. STRADER ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent ERASER WITH SUCTION DISPOSAL Emily S. Teters,Portland, Oreg. (6425 SW. 124th Ave., Beaverton, Oreg.); Warren A.Aikins, 829 20th Ave., Longview, Wash.; and William E. Strader, 803 /2S. 3rd, Kelso, Wash.

Filed June 20,1958, Ser. No. 743,293

'5 Claims. Cl. 120-36) This invention relates to improvements in apoweroperated eraser and has particular reference to an erasing machinehaving suction means for removing the eraser debris.

Conventional power-operated erasers are not convenient to use by typistsbecause they usually incorporate an electric motor in the handle whichmakes the handle objectionably bulky and heavy. The motor is capable ofwearing away the paper and eraser at a rapid rate, producing aconsiderable volume of paper fibers and rubber crumbs for which noautomatic means of removal is provided. Such erasers have been used to aconsiderable extent by draftsmen because disposal of eraser debris onthe drafting board does not present a serious problem. Eraser crumbs andpaper fiber are objectionable in a typewriter, however, and draftsmenselectric erasers have never been adopted extensively by typists.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide apower-operated eraser which will suit the needs of typists as well asdraftsmen; to provide an eraser having a relatively small and lightweight handle portion which can be manipulated with facility on paper ina typewriter; to provide an eraser having the relatively bulky and heavypower component separated from the manipulating handle; to provide aneraser having a suct-ion cleaner for removing debris created by theeraser and to provide an improved erasing machine for general use bytypists, draftsmen and others who must do considerable erasing.

In the present erasing machine, the motor is contained in a base housinghaving a pedestal supporting a swinging and swivelling arm containing aflexible shaft and a suction tube. The arm is counter-balanced orotherwise biased to cause it to extend upwardly above the base housingso that a handle portion on the end of the flexible shaft and suctiontube will hang from the upper end of the arm in a convenient positionfor use while allowing a considerable range of movement of the handleportion, both vertically and horizontally, without moving the base.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent as thedescription proceeds in connection with a preferred embodimentillustrated on the accompanying drawing. Various changes may be made inthe construction and arrangement of parts, however, and certain featuresmay be used without others, all such modifications within the scope ofthe appendedclaims being included in the invention. The single figure inthe drawing is an elevation view with parts in vertical section to showthe details of construction.

A base housing contains a high speed electric motor 11 having a verticalshaft 12. If the motor is not sufficiently heavy to provide goodstability for the base housing, the latter may include a heavy baseplate 13. Housing 10 is equipped with one or more air relief holes 14and base plate 13 is equipped with a removable plug 15 for disposal ofthe eraser debris 16 which is collected in the housing.

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The upper part of the housing is reduced in size to form a tubularsuction pedestal 20. Pedestal 20 is aligned with the motor shaft 12which is equipped with a suction fan impeller 21 mounted close to theupper wall of the housing immediately beneath the suction pedestal topro duce suction therein. Thus, the lower end of suction pedestal 20communicates axially with the center of the impeller 21 and thedownwardly flaring shape of the top wall of the base housing allows forcentrifugal discharge from the fan, causing eraser debris to impingeagainst the housing. Impingement of the solid material against thehousing reduces its velocity to a point such that the material willseparate from the air stream and fall to the bottom in a quiescent statewhile the air escapes through openings 14. The total area of openings 14is many times the area of the inlet opening in the suction nozzle,presently to be described, whereby a high inlet velocity is developed inthe suction nozzle and a low discharge velocity is developed in openings14. Thus, the eraser debris is not blown out of openings 14 but iscollected in the bottom of the housing and can be removed from time totime by taking out the plug 15.

Pedestal 20 is equipped with a connection 22 for a flexible suotion tube23 and is further equipped with a supporting bracket 24 for one end offlexible shaft housing 2.5 on flexible shaft 26. A connector 27 connectsflexible shaft 26 with motor shaft 12.

Portions of suction tube 23 and flexible shaft 26 are contained in atubular arm 30 which is pivotally mounted at 31 between the upstandingarms of a clevis support 32. Clevis support 32 has an annular shoulder33 resting on the upper end of tubular pedestal 20 for swivel movementand a neck portion 34 extending within the pedestal. Extending throughneck portion 34 are the flexible shaft 26 with its housing 25 and a pairof wires 35 leading to a mercury switch 36 in the tubular arm 30. Theopening through neck 34 is otherwise closed by an air seal 37. In thepresent embodiment, suction tube 23 enters the hollow arm through anopening 29 and flexible shaft 26 enters the arm through an opening 28but other equivalent arrangements of these parts will suggestthemselves.

The numeral 38 designates a torsional spring to return the clevis 32 andarm 30 to a particular orientation after the arm has been rotated on thevertical axis of the pedestal, one end of spring 38 being attached tothe neck 34 and the other end being anchored in pedestal 20. Suflioientslack is provided in suction tube 23 between the connection 22 and theopening 29 to permit the arm 30 to rotate in opposite directions aboutthe axis of pedestal 20. The swivel return spring may be omitted,however, if desired as this is a refinement which is not necessary tothe successful operation of the device. In order to hold the long end ofarm 30 upright and suspend the handle parts, the lower, short end of thearm is equipped with a counter-weight 39.

The motor 11 is energized by a conductor cord 40 through a circuitincluding a manual switch 41 and mercury switch 36 in series. Aftermanual switch 41 has been turned on, mercury switch 36 will energize the.motor whenever the 'arm 30 is pulled down to use the eraser. Switch 36is adjusted in the arm at an inclination to deenergize the motor whenthe arm returns to the near vertical position shown.

Suction tube 23 and flexible shaft 26 terminate in a small light weighthandle 45, the tube and shaft preferably being of a length to suspendthe handle in pendant position above the table top, as shown, when thedevice is not in use. Flexible shaft 26 is connected to a hollow erasershaft 46 rotatable in a bearing 47 in the end of the handle. This hollowshaft has a longitudinally split and thickened end portion forming achuck for an eraser 3 v 50. A clamp ring 51 is slidable downwardly onthe outside of shaft 46 into wedging position on the thickened pgrtionthereof to clamp the eraser in the end of the s aft.

Suction tube 23 connects with a suction nozzle 55 which may be mountedin or formed as an integral part of the handle 45. The lip of thesuction nozzle 55 may be made flexible so that it will flatten whenbrought to bear against the erasing surface and will not interfere withthe manipulation of the eraser. Handle 45 with its component parts isconsiderably smaller and lighter than it is possible to make an electricmotor having suflicient power to drive the eraser whereby the presentdevice can be manipulated with much greater facility than a conventionalelectric eraser having its motor incorporated in the handle portion.

Suction nozzle 55 captures any loose debris so that it will not fallinto the typewriter when the device is used by typists. The friction ofthe eraser tends to form electrostatic charges on the eraser crumbs andpaper, causing the crumbs to adhere to the paper. In any event, thedebris does not fall into the typewriter and the particles which are notimmediately sucked into nozzle 55 may be scraped off the paper with alip of the nozzle after the erasure is completed.

If desired, the eraser 50 may be removed and a small rotary brushchucked in the hollow shaft 46 for cleaning the type bars and otherparts which are accessible to the brush. The material dislodged by thebrush is removed by the suction nozzle.

By reason of the swivel joint between the pedestal 20 and clevis support32, the arm 30 is rotatable on a vertical axis to any direction around acomplete circle to serve a plurality of workers whose desks or drawingboards are grouped together. Arm 30 is high enough to swing over andacross a typewriter. It will also be apparent that the base housinginstead of being portable may be equipped with a clamp or other suitablefastening device for rigid attachment to a desk, table or drawing boardwhere the eraser may be needed.

Having now described our invention and in what manner the same may beused, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An erasing machine for use on an oflice desk comprising a basehousing containing an electric motor, a suction fan driven by saidmotor, a hollow arm mounted for universal movement on said housing,means to bias said arm to upright position, a flexible shaft connectedwith said motor carried within said arm, a suction tube communicatingwith said fan carried within said arm, a switch actuated by tiltingmovement of said arm to energize said motor, and a handle on saidflexible shaft and suction tube having an eraser connected with saidshaft and a suction nozzle connected with said tube.

2. An erasing machine comprising a base housing containing an electricmotor, a suction fan impeller in said housing driven by said motor, ahollow pedestal on said housing communicating with the center of saidimpeller, a flexible shaft in said pedestal connected with said motor, asuction tube connected with said pedestal in communication with saidsuction fan impeller, a clevis mounted for rotation on the axis of thepedestal, an arm pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis on said clevis,portions of said flexible shaft and suction tube being supported by saidarm, and a handle on a free end of said flexible shaft and suction tubedepending from said arm, said handle containing an eraser connected withsaid shaft and a suction nozzle connected with said tube.

3. An erasing machine comprising a base housing containing an electricmotor, a suction fan impeller in said housing driven by said motor, ahollow pedestal on said housing communicating with the center of said impeller, a flexible shaft in said pedestal connected with said motor, asuction tube connected with said pedestal in communication with saidsuction fan impeller, a clevis mounted for rotation on the axis of saidpedestal, a hollow arm pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis on saidclevis, portions of said flexible shaft and suction tube being containedwithin said arm, a mercury switch in said arm actuated by a tiltingmovement of the arm to energize said motor, a counter-weight for holdingsaid arm normally in an upright position, and a handle on a free end ofsaid flexible shaft and suction tube depending from the elevated end ofsaid arm, said handle containing an eraser connected with said shaft anda suction nozzle connected with said tube.

4. An oflice erasing machine comprising a base housing having a hollowpedestal extending upwardly therefrom, a motor in said housing, asuction fan on said motor in suction communication with said pedestal, ahollow arm mounted for vertical swinging movement about a horizontalaxis on said pedestal, a flexible shaft driven by said motor extendingthrough said arm and pedestal, a flexible suction tube in suctioncommunication with said pedestal carried by said arm, said shaft andsuction tube projecting beyond a swinging end of said arm, means forbiasing said swinging end of said arm in an upward direction, and ahandle having an eraser connected with said flexible shaft and a suctionnozzle connected with said suction tube.

5. An erasing machine for use on an office desk comprising a basehousing adapted to rest on the desk having a hollow pedestal extendingupwardly therefrom, a motor in said base having a drive shaft alignedwith said pedestal, a flexible shaft extending upwardly through saidpedestal and connected at one end with said drive shaft, a suction fanon said motor having suction communication with said pedestal, aflexible suction tube connected at one end with said pedestal, a handleon the free ends of said flexible shaft and suction tube having aneraser connected with said shaft and a suction nozzle connected withsaid tube, a supporting arm pivotally mounted on said pedestal forhorizontal and vertical swinging movements and having a free endsupporting said flexible shaft and suction tube at a point spaced fromsaid eraser and nozzle a distance approximately equal to the height ofsaid free-end of the arm above said base housing when the arm isdirected upward, and means biasing said free end of said arm upwardly toelevate said eraser and nozzle in pendant position above the desk.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,582,664 Bennington Apr. 27, 1926 1,641,130 Elliot Aug. 30, 19271,714,287 Wilson May 21, 1929 2,406,487 Brewer Aug. 27, 1946 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTION Patent No. 5 ,546October 18, 1960 Emily S. Teters et a1 It is hereby certified that errorappears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that thesaid Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the grant, lines 1, 2, and 3, for "Emily 8., Peters, of Portland,Oregon, Warren Ac Aikins, of Longview, Washington, William E, Strader,of Kelso, Washington," read Emily SQ Teters, of Portland, Oregon, WarrenA, Aikins, of Longview, Washington, and William E, Strader, of Kelso,Washington, said Aikins and said Strader assignors to said Teters, lines12 and 13, for "Emily So Teters, Warren Ao Aikins, and William E.oStrader, their heirs" read Emily S, Teters, her heirs in the heading tothe printed specification, lines 3 to 6, for "Emily S Teters, Portland,Oregc (6425 SW, 124th Aveo, Beaverton, OregJ Warren Ao Aikins, 829 20thAve, Longview, Wash and William E Strader, 803 So 3rd, Kelso, Washo"read Emily S. Teters, Portland, Oreg. (6425 SWo 124th Aves, Beaverton,Oreg.,) Warren An Aikins, 829 20th Ave, Longview, Wash. and William E.Strader, 803% S.: SrdO Kelso, Washo said Aikins and Said Straderassignors to said Teters e Signed and sealed this 18th day of April1961o (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST Wu SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

